After using gas and air when giving birth 10 months ago, I had a 'worn out lung' feeling that got worse with a cold virus one week post partum. I developed a hoarseness that has never gone away since, and tracheal/ lung discomfort, almost like from my vocal cords down was inflamed. I have reflux, but ENT said they can't see any evidence of acid burn in throat. GP put it down to hormones since I was breastfeeding for 10 months, but sent me for chest x ray which said mild right apical lining thickening. I have lost muscle mass in my legs (quadricep muscles), lost muscle tone all over body and chest and legs look particularly skinny.

I suffer from health anxiety in phases, and this started me off my obsessive checking of my body. My throat started to feel tight and the muscles like I couldn't move them properly, kind of like lazy muscles. After looking at my tongue and mouth I noticed the tongue looks very atrophied at the sides - it is really thin and an irregular shape, with three long furrows down it. My tongue twitches randomly, like a little person is punching from the underside of it. I have started almost whistling 's' sounds and my tongue trips over some consonant sounds together.

My soft palate has random spasms/ twitching - the two arches before the tonsils and after them both twitch randomly, obviously. Then my whole soft palate jerks up and down of it's own accord - also randomly, without a clicking sound. When the soft palate is drawn upwards, the uvula also has it's own twitches sometimes, which make it pull in, so it is almost flat - it is very weird.

My legs started to feel weak towards dinnertime every day around August time - so weak that they give way at times - the weak area is just above the knees. They also twitch, usually just above the knees and the calves, but sometimes other areas and I can sometimes bring on the twitching by tapping. The arches of my feet twitch -the left one is the worst- and sometimes that one feels like it is vibrating. Around my lips twitch a tiny bit when I have my mouth open.

All of this has sent my anxiety haywire and I have reluctantly given up breastfeeding to take Sertraline 50mg and try to get my hormones back to normal. I paid to see a private neurologist who noted the tongue twitches and mentioned BFS. He had no other answers but is sending me for an MRI because of my symptoms - probably in about 6 months since it will be on the NHS. I've no idea if he saw the soft palate twitches, but I told him what happens to it. Had blood tests for autoimmune conditions, thyroid, coeliac - all ok. The only think that came up slightly elevated each time was sodium.

I'm scared it looks like there's a party in my mouth with all the twitching going on. And my tongue has definitely changed - I know this because I used to check my tongue/ mouth as part of my anxiety in 2008 so know pretty well what it looked like. Also I showed my GP my tongue and he said it is 'unusual, but I didn't see what it was like before'.

Smiley,you mention neurological exam - what whas exactly the result? Did the doctor found any clinical weakness in your legs? any asymmetric reflexes?Without findings like this any thought about having MND is rather meaningless.

many people have tongue twitches here (some for years), many people in general have ridges on the tongue (I remember it might be casued by thyroid gland dysfunction), there is also a condition called squamous glossitis and usually is caused by infection, upper GIT problems (frequent in anxious persosn) in which the tongue looks swollen, with the prominent ridges, and sometimes painful ulcers are formed too.please remember that when you put your tongue out, it SHOULD be irregularly moving, it is NORMAL, no one can hold the tongue still without serious efforts.your edge issues are most probably casued by jaw clenching also common among anxious people.Should your tongue be really atrophied, you would really HEAR it with the effect of mouth full of porridge, and people would constantly ask you to repeat your sayings. Seemingly you do not report that. Hawing subtle changes in pronunciation means nothing, in case of true neurological deficiete your speech would be really affected, and it would be obvious for everybody, not only for you.

My dear, you are 10 month toddler's mom. You have hormonal changes and you definitely have all your life changed too. You are deprived of normal sleep, rest, etc. many young moms have somatic issues rooted in their new responsibilities and stress. But with the time it all turns better

Thank you for replying. I have a 10 month old and 2.5 year old, and I'm 29 years old (realised I forgot to put that).

If I had thyoid gland dysfunction, wouldn't it show on thyroid blood tests? As mine have come back in normal range every time. I tried googling squamous glossitis but can't see the condition you describe.

The neuro said he couldn't find marked weakness, my reflexes were brisk but symmetrical. He said he couldn't explain the twitching in my tongue and all my other symptoms. My tongue moves less when I stick it out than when it is resting in my mouth.

What about my throat/ soft palate? Is there any way to upload a video here? It is just awful!

Thyroid gland dysfunction is often hard to spot. I know one person with definite hypotyroidite (weight gain, bad mood, exophtalm, etc.) but her spot analysis are always OK! one need to stay in clinics and have daily test taken probably to spot it...moreover, it is well known that ladies may have autoimmune thyreoidites up to 1 year after labours.

Throat and soft palate asre same muscles as other sceletal one, so they can twitch too.we have Matt (bobajojo) here who was cleared in mayo clinics (one of major USA neuro clinics) with dramatic tongue twitching (and he still have it after two years). Write him a PM, he knows much more about that.

you may look in wikipedia for Glossitis however phots are really awful

I didnt read your entire post, but I just wanted to say I too have Gilbert's syndrome, as do a lot of twitchers. Actually, its just an increase in bilirubin during times of fasting and stress.I switched to a gluten free diet and had great results. I believe there was a correlation between the gluten causing twitching and and increasing the bilirubin. Good luck, and maybe ask your neuro for an EMG if you havent already to set your mind at ease.

I have the same exact pronunciation issues...S...CH...TH...that are only noticeable by me. They come and go with my anxiety level. Tightness of the mouth, feelings like words wont come. Whistling S's...the whole deal.

My heart truly goes out to you. I know how health anxiety can cripple your life...just put it on hold...keep you from joy and peace. Get your neuro tests then trust your neurologist. The odds of a young woman presenting with bulbar symptoms are so crazy rare. You are talking about a rare presentation, in an atypical age group, in a sex that tends to have less victims.